Health care use amongst online buyers of medications and vitamins

BackgroundWith increased use of the internet, more people access medications and health supplements online. However little is known about factors associated with using online buying. Given the variable quality of online pharmacies, an important question is whether online consumers also have health care providers with whom they discuss internet information and decisions.ObjectivesTo help address these gaps this study used the Andersen Model to explore (1) the characteristics of internet buyers of medicines and/vitamins, (2) the association between health care use and buying medicines and/vitamins online drawing on the Andersen health care utilization framework, and (3) factors predicting discussion of internet information with health providers.MethodsThe National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2007 was analyzed to study online medication buying among a national sample of internet users (N = 5074). The Andersen Model of health care utilization guided the study's variable selection and analyses. Buying online and talking about online information are the two main outcome variables. Separate multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with online buying and factors predicting discussions with providers about online information.ResultsIn 2007, 14.5% (n = 871) of internet users bought a medication or vitamin online. About 85% of online buyers had a regular provider, but only 39% talked to the provider about online information even though most (93.7%) visited the provider ≥1 times/year. Multivariate analyses found internet health product consumers were more likely to be over 50 years old, have insurance and discuss the internet with their provider than non-internet health product consumers. Moreover, discussion of internet information was more likely if consumers had a regular provider and perceived their communication to be at least fair or good in general.ConclusionsThere is a clear association of online buying with age, frequency of visits and discussing online information with a provider. Although most online buyers visited a provider in the prior year, only a minority discussed the internet with them. This suggests a missed opportunity for providers to help patients navigate internet buying, particularly if they are a patient's regular provider and the patient perceives their communication as good.